Written Answers Tuesday 27 January 2009

Scottish Executive

Autism

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that local authorities and NHS boards record and share information on the number of people with autism.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government published guidance for commissioners of health and social care services in 2008 recommending that local authorities and health boards should work together to identify and keep a record of people on the autism spectrum in their area. The eSAY project has been developed to ensure information about people with learning disabilities or autism spectrum disorders is recorded and measured in the same way across Scotland.

Council Tax

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is in terms of its budget of the council tax freeze and the reduction in business rates in the current spending review period.

John Swinney: The cost of the council tax freeze in 2008-09 is £70 million. A further £70 million is available in each of the next two years to extend the freeze up to 2010-11. The total cost of the council tax freeze over the full spending review period will depend on the decisions of individual councils.

  The projected cost of the Small Business Bonus Scheme in 2008-09 is currently estimated to be around £70 million. A final figure will not be available until later this year. The total cost of the scheme over the full spending review period will not be known until after the end of the period.

Energy Efficiency

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when an individual room within a building is leased out, an energy performance certificate (EPC) is required under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 and, if so, whether the EPC should refer to the individual room or to the building as a whole.

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when a portion of a building is leased out, an energy performance certificate (EPC) is required under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 and, if so, whether the EPC should refer to the portion of the building leased out or to the building as a whole.

Stewart Stevenson: I have to advise that I am not in a position to interpret the legislation that covers Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in Scotland. Interpretation in the first instance is the responsibility of the local authorities and ultimately could be a matter for the courts to decide. I am in a position to provide informal advice on the intention behind the legislation and my response should be viewed with that in mind.

  The Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 require an EPC for the building and reference a definition. The definition of building is the same as in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2002/91/EC), as "a roofed construction having walls, for which energy is used to condition the indoor climate; a building may refer to the building as a whole or parts thereof that have been designed or altered to be used separately."

  EPCs are required for all individual dwellings. In the case of other buildings, the EPC covers the entire building. However, where the building is divided into units that are "fire separated" units, the EPC can either cover the entire building, depending on the heating system arrangements, or, alternatively, separate certificates can be carried out for each individual unit. In some instances, the fire separated units could be single rooms which are occupied by different tenants.

Energy Efficiency

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what type of buildings or their subdivisions are exempt from the requirement to display an energy performance certificate under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008.

Stewart Stevenson: I have to advise that I am not in a position to interpret the legislation that covers Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in Scotland. Interpretation in the first instance is the responsibility of the local authorities and ultimately could be a matter for the courts to decide. I am in a position to provide informal advice on the intention behind the legislation and my response should be viewed with that in mind.

  Due to the disparate nature of the public building stock in Scotland, it is not possible to provide a definitive list of exemptions. The Energy Performance of Building (Scotland) Regulations 2008 define a public building as "a building with a floor area of more than 1,000m2, which is occupied by a public authority or by an institution providing public services and which can be visited by the public." Guidance on the requirement to display an EPC is given as:

  The requirement to display a certificate applies only to buildings which meet all of the following criteria:

  the conditioned (heated/cooled) area of the building is over 1,000m2;

  the building is occupied by public authorities or provides public services to a large number of persons;

  the building is frequently visited, at least weekly, by members of the general public;

  the public have a right of access to the building, or parts of the buildings providing services directly to the public, and

  public funding, including part funding, is used to operate, for general upkeep, or to fund staff costs.

  Examples include colleges, community centres, libraries, hospitals, benefit offices and crematoria.

Forth Crossing

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with SEStran since December 2007 regarding the use of the Forth Road Bridge for public transport, also showing what was discussed.

Stewart Stevenson: The following meetings were held with SEStran to discuss developments with the Forth Replacement Crossing, including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport:

  21 October 2008, meeting to discuss refined strategy including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport.

  8 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Forth Crossing

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with City of Edinburgh Council since December 2007 regarding the use of the Forth Road Bridge for public transport, also showing what was discussed.

Stewart Stevenson: The following meetings were held with officials from the City of Edinburgh Council to discuss developments with the Forth Replacement Crossing, including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport:

  30 October 2008, meeting to discuss the refined strategy for the replacement crossing including the use of the FRB for public transport.

  9 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Forth Crossing

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with SEStran since December 2007 regarding the Forth Replacement Crossing, also showing what was discussed.

Stewart Stevenson: The following meetings were held with SEStran to discuss the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC):

  6 March 2008, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decision to proceed with cable stayed bridge and to discuss stakeholder engagement

  4 July 2008, meeting to discuss road alignment options

  22 August 2008, meeting to discuss road alignment options and possible light rapid transit routes

  21 October 2008, meeting to discuss refined strategy including the use of the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) for public transport

  8 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Forth Crossing

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its meetings with City of Edinburgh Council since December 2007 regarding the Forth Replacement Crossing, also showing what was discussed.

Stewart Stevenson: The following meetings have been held with officials from the City of Edinburgh Council to discuss the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC):

  6 March 2008, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decision to proceed with cable stayed bridge and to discuss stakeholder engagement

  25 March 2008, meeting to discuss initial corridors for the connecting roads

  17 June 2008, meeting to discuss road alignment options

  30 October 2008, meeting to discuss refined strategy including the use of the Forth Road Bridge for public transport

  9 January 2009, Stakeholder Briefing Session to provide project update following decisions being made on the function of the replacement crossing, the use of the FRB, the proposed design of the new bridge, the road connections, and the funding, procurement and legislation of the project.

Forth Crossing

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any discussion with the Public Works Loans Board regarding funding for the Forth Replacement Crossing and, if so, what the response has been.

Stewart Stevenson: No. The option of funding through local authorities had been considered by the Scottish Government and rejected in part because it would considerably restrict councils’ ability to borrow for their own purposes.

Forth Crossing

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on preliminary work on the Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: Since December 2007, when I announced to Parliament the decision to proceed with a replacement bridge, approximately £16 million has been spent on preliminary works.

Fuel Poverty

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18205 by Stewart Maxwell on 4 December 2008, what measures it is using to determine the insulation and energy efficiency measures initially to be included in the Energy Assistance Package.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18205 by Stewart Maxwell on 4 December 2008, whether it is giving particular consideration to ways of addressing fuel poverty in tenements and tower blocks as part of its work in determining what measures will initially be included in the Energy Assistance Package.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18205 by Stewart Maxwell on 4 December 2008, whether it is considering under-floor insulation for houses with basements as one of the measures initially to be included in the Energy Assistance Package.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18205 by Stewart Maxwell on 4 December 2008, when it expects to be able to provide information on the insulation and energy efficiency measures initially to be included in the Energy Assistance Package.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18205 by Stewart Maxwell on 4 December 2008, and following the introduction of the Energy Assistance Package, whether it intends to trial alternative measures that could be added, at a later date, to the package of measures offered.

Stewart Maxwell: Evidence is being gathered, including from discussions with a range of stakeholders, on the practicality, cost and impacts of different insulation and energy efficiency measures for different types of housing. This will inform ministers’ choice of the measures to be included initially in the Energy Assistance Package, likely to be finalised around the end of February. We also intend to monitor the impacts once the package is in place and keep the range of measures under review in the light of experience.

Fuel Poverty

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-18204, S3W-18198 and S3W 18199 by Stewart Maxwell on 3 and 5 December 2008 respectively, when it expects to announce the allocation of resources to deliver the Energy Assistance Package.

Stewart Maxwell: We announced in November that £55.8 million will be available for delivering the Energy Assistance Package for 2009-10, and in the Budget Bill in January that an additional £5 million will be allocated to tackling fuel poverty. The allocation of resources for the different elements of the Energy Assistance Package is being finalised and will be agreed before the package commences in April.

Fuel Poverty

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18203 by Stewart Maxwell on 3 December 2008, whether a decision has been made on including the issue of top-up funding, low interest loans or equity release schemes, as a way to augment the Energy Assistance Package in the Scottish Government’s forthcoming consultation of issues related to the energy efficiency of housing and when it expects to launch the consultation.

Stewart Maxwell: The issue of loans or equity release schemes goes wider than the Energy Assistance Package and involves a number of issues requiring detailed consideration. Thought is being given to how best to proceed in time for the forthcoming consultation. The consultation paper will be published later in the year.

Higher Education Funding

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18994 by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2009, how much discretionary funding was returned to Student Awards Agency for Scotland for redistribution in each of the last five years, broken down by institution.

Fiona Hyslop: The following table lists the funds returned each year by each institution. Information for year 2007-08 is still in the process of being gathered and will be available at the end of February.

  As stated in the answer to question S3W-18994 on 8 January 2009, these returned funds are then redistributed on the basis of application from institutions in the following academic year.

  The returned funds have been re-distributed each year from 2005-06. For example, funds returned for 2005-06 are made available to institutions in 2006-07 as additional funding. Institutions are required to make requests for this additional funding.

  Prior to 2005-06, any returned funds resulted in an underspend against allocation.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  

 Institution
 2006-07
 2005-06
 2004-05
 2003-04


 Aberdeen College
 82,714.12
 6,812.26
 19,993.23
 25,346.36


 Angus College
 9,500.35
 61,466.68
 
 53,382.00


 Anniesland College
 
 
 
 101.00


 Ayr College
 
 4,367.69
 
 54,700.94


 Banff and Buchan College
 
 
 85.00
 


 Barony College
 
 
 
 


 Borders College
 7,478.85
 6,955.00
 38,065.90
 16,386.93


 Cardonald College
 
 
 
 4,023.19


 Central College of Commerce
 
 16,747.00
 
 


 Clackmannan College
 
 
 
 8,125.00


 Clydebank College
 28,518.59
 17,692.71
 21,810.72
 36,834.73


 Coatbridge College
 
 2,780.50
 
 


 Cumbernauld College
 
 788.87
 
 


 Dumfries and Galloway College
 407.51
 1,786.80
 1,115.29
 173.06


 Dundee College
 
 
 
 


 Edinburgh’s Telford College
 148,49.00
 13,052.00
 23,350.00
 11,049.00


 Elmwood College
 
 784.00
 87.00
 929.00


 Forth Valley College
 2,011.00
 12,630.37
 
 


 Glasgow Metropolitan College
 
 
 
 


 Glasgow College of Nautical Studies
 3,666.15
 14,379.97
 828.05
 6,497.89


 Adam Smith College (previously Fife)
 
 20,000.00
 
 76,861.83


 James Watt College
 
 
 
 


 Jewel and Esk Valley College
 38,004.00
 10,652.26
 16,424.00
 29,124.00


 John Wheatley
 3,429.42
 1,027.38
 5,453.18
 4,942.33


 Kilmarnock College
 
 
 
 


 Langside College
 
 10,105.16
 25,745.32
 43,484.68


 Carnegie College
 6,003.89
 11,026.86
 
 


 Motherwell College
 6,680.56
 11,149.68
 12,712.73
 15,455.67


 Newbattle Abbey College
 
 
 
 


 North Glasgow College
 
 275.56
 
 


 Oatridge Agricultural College
 836.97
 592.60
 
 


 Reid Kerr College
 
 
 
 


 South Lanarkshire College
 5,426.35
 13,381.35
 2,458.87
 


 Stevenson College
 11,562.62
 
 4,184.86
 


 Stow College
 24,326.00
 
 
 


 West Lothian College
 
 129,808.00
 
 


 Aberdeen University
 82,342.00
 104,858.00
 253,228.00
 430,987.00


 Bell College of Technology
 19,921.35
 
 
 


 Dundee University
 
 
 
 


 Edinburgh College of Art
 
 
 
 


 Edinburgh University
 77,086.13
 141,207.88
 
 


 Glasgow Caledonian University
 79,988.84
 290,276.06
 95,594.86
 66,533.05


 Glasgow School of Art
 
 17,559.35
 1,373.62
 9,948.64


 Glasgow University
 
 
 
 


 Heriot Watt University
 28,098.03
 135.00
 72,778.00
 565,016.00


 Napier University
 11,093.36
 69,674.46
 26,446.85
 17,071.44


 Queen Margaret University College
 
 98,033.61
 
 


 Robert Gordon University
 
 
 225.73
 


 RSAMD
 
 3,043.58
 
 


 Scottish Agricultural College
 4,500.33
 1,072.95
 
 52.64


 St Andrews University
 
 
 
 


 Stirling University
 16,635.00
 239.00
 
 465.00


 Strathclyde University
 
 
 
 3,702.00


 University of Abertay, Dundee
 
 
 2,460.53
 718.00


 University of West of Scotland (previously Bell college and Paisley uni)
 
 
 
 72,247.28


 Open University
 4,129.42
 51,238.67
 222,256.00
 


 UHIMI
 40,558.70
 71,147.70
 32,079.25
 305,393.40


 Total
 609,768.26
 1,216,742.96
 878,756.99
 1,859,552.06

Housing

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding shortfall it is aware of for home adaptations by housing associations in (a) Scotland and (b) the North Lanarkshire Council area.

Stewart Maxwell: The level of funding shortfall for home adaptations by housing associations is currently estimated at:

  (a) just over £2 million for Scotland

  (b) around £0.45 million for North Lanarkshire.

  We are currently looking at slippage elsewhere in the affordable housing investment programme with a view to addressing this shortfall.

Housing

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase grant funding for housing associations with a funding shortfall.

Stewart Maxwell: We are currently looking at slippage within the Affordable Housing Investment Programme with a view to reallocating funding to meet demand for funding for home adaptations.

Housing

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19144 by Stewart Maxwell on 15 January 2009, how many households have been in temporary accommodation in the Lothians at the end of each quarter since April 2007, broken down by local authority.

Stewart Maxwell: The information requested is available from table 38 of the detailed homelessness tables published on the Scottish Government website on 29 September 2008. The tables can be accessed at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/DatasetHomeless0708.

Housing

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recourse to arbitration or appeal permanent residents of caravans and chalets located on holiday-home sites with 12-month licences have against increases in pitch fees.

Stewart Maxwell: The rights of permanent residents of sites with residential licences, which can include holiday-home sites, are governed by the Mobile Homes Act 1983. This allows mobile home owners to have an agreement with the site owner allowing them to occupy their home on the site as their main residence. A site owner must give each resident a written statement setting out the terms of the agreement between them. The agreement will normally include express terms which fix the pitch fee the resident has to pay the site owner, when it is to be paid and how it is to be reviewed each year.

  A resident who is unhappy with an increase in pitch fees should ask the site owner if they are prepared to make changes to that part of the agreement. If the site owner refuses, the resident can apply to the sheriff court, or to an arbiter, to ask for the changes to be made. In addition, residents who are in dispute with site owners who are members of either of the relevant trade bodies representing the parks industry – the British Holiday and Home Parks Association and the National Caravan Council – can seek conciliation from either body. If this fails the trade bodies may suggest reference to the Independent Consumer Redress Service (ICRS) which is an independent mediation or arbitration process allowing access to low cost and speedy consumer redress using standard models of conciliation and arbitration.

  The 1983 act does not apply to sites which have a licence for holiday use only. This means that people who live on such sites, even if occupying a caravan or mobile home as their main residence in breach of a site’s licence or planning permission, do not have the statutory protection of the act. People who rent pitches on holiday sites for accommodation rather than leisure purposes will have certain rights under common law. However, common law does not impose any restrictions on the amount of rent the site owner can charge for the mobile home and/or pitch, or restrict how often the site owner can increase these charges.

  A holiday caravan owner’s rights will be contained within a licence agreement agreed with the site owner. The trade bodies have also agreed a joint code of practice for holiday homes, which covers pitch fees and offers a complaints procedure for objecting to increases. If complaints arise that cannot be resolved between the parties then the trade bodies will offer conciliation and if this fails suggest reference to the ICRS.

Housing

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Glasgow Housing Association has spent on public relations and public affairs over the last two years.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the pilot knife-crime text hotline being run in Lancashire schools by Lancashire Constabulary and Crimestoppers, with the aim of encouraging anonymous reporting of young people who pupils believe may be carrying knives, as reported on BBC News Online on 14 January 2009.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is committed to reducing violence and knife crime in our communities and takes an interest in initiatives in other areas which could contribute to our efforts. We will look carefully at the impact of this initiative and assess its suitability for use in areas of Scotland that are affected by knife crime.

  We are working with local partners on a range of violence reduction measures and are committed to dealing with the underlying causes of crime – drink, drugs and deprivation. We have recently invested £1.6 million in the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV) to tackle the gang culture that fuels knife crime.

  We have recently launched "Medics Against Violence", a new initiative that has been developed by the Violence Reduction Unit and three senior medics in Glasgow, in which we have invested £80,000. It will see medics working directly with young people to highlight the dangers of knives.

Justice

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people received convictions for speeding offences on the A90 around Laurencekirk in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007 and (d) 2008.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

  The Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database does not hold details of the locations of offences.

Local Government Finance

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much SMART:Scotland funding was allocated by the Improvement Service to assist the creation of North Lanarkshire Council’s approved trader scheme since its inception.

John Swinney: The SMART: SCOTLAND scheme, delivered by the Scottish Government’s Innovation and Investment Grants Division, has allocated no funding to North Lanarkshire Council’s Approved Traders Scheme.

  The Improvement Service set up a SMART Ideas Fund with grants of up to £10,000 per project. Funding was awarded to North Lanarkshire Council to assist the creation of an Approved Traders Scheme. Information on the amount of individual grants is not held centrally, but details of the project are available on the Improvement Service website at:

  http://www.improvementservice.org.uk/innovation-exchange/introduction/innovation-exchange-and-smart-ideas.html.

  Further information can be obtained by writing to the Chief Executive of the Improvement Service.

Local Government Finance

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there was cabinet support for the allocation of central government funding to Glasgow City Council during the budget negotiations.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government operates on the basis of collective responsibility. This means that all decisions reached by ministers, individually or collectively, are agreed and supported by all members of the government.

Local Government Finance

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19656 by John Swinney on 12 January 2009, what the determining factors unique to Edinburgh were that led to the award of the capital city supplement of £3.5 million to the City of Edinburgh Council.

John Swinney: As indicated in the earlier answer, the additional capital city supplement funding provided to the City of Edinburgh Council recognised factors that are unique to Edinburgh as Scotland’s capital city. These include the marshalling and hosting of events, such as marches and parades and also ceremonial and royal visits that take place in Edinburgh because it is the capital city.

Local Government Finance

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the financial needs of the City of Glasgow Council are met.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government is providing all Scottish local authorities, including the City of Glasgow Council, with record levels of funding. While it is not for us to manage individual council budgets, we will continue to discuss financial pressures with local government and work closely with our partners to deliver the public services that people expect, in a tight financial climate.

Local Government Finance

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing made in the budget negotiations concerning the funding of Glasgow City Council.

John Swinney: The overall funding package for local government resulted from the 2007 Spending Review negotiations between the Scottish Government and COSLA. The Scottish Government operates on the basis of collective responsibility. This means that all decisions reached by ministers, individually or collectively, are agreed and supported by all members of the government.

Pensions

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many people are in receipt of the state pension.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has no functions in relation to administration of the state pension, and therefore does not hold such information.

Prison Service

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-17221 by Kenny MacAskill on 5 November 2008, whether the search for a site for HM Prison Inverclyde includes the Renfrewshire Council area.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service announced in October 2008 that it had commenced looking for a potential site for a new prison to replace HMP Greenock within or near to the Inverclyde area. SPS, in conjunction with Inverclyde Council, is currently seeking to identify potential sites within the Inverclyde area. Subject to the outcome of this exercise, consideration may need to be given in due course to potential sites near to the Inverclyde area.

Roads

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or Transport Scotland, has had plans at any time since 1999 to construct a bypass around Selkirk on the A7.

Stewart Stevenson: No.

Scottish Improvement Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19452 by John Swinney on 15 January 2009, what the financial contributions to the Improvement Service were of (a) COSLA and (b) individual local authorities prior to the local authority settlement for 2008-09.

John Swinney: COSLA did not make any financial contributions to the Improvement Service prior to the local authority settlement for 2008-09. Contributions were made by individual local authorities during this period in relation to training programmes and fees for attendance at courses or seminars. Details of these contributions are recorded in the Improvement Service accounts and are not held centrally.

Scottish Improvement Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19452 by John Swinney on 15 January 2009, how it monitors best value and the use of public money in relation to the Improvement Service.

John Swinney: Core funding for 2005-08 was subject to a three year grant agreement, with detailed use agreed on an annual basis through the business planning process. Expenditure and performance were monitored through regular reports and meetings between Scottish Government and Improvement Service officials.

  Projects for which separate funding is awarded are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Grant agreements set out the expected deliverables against which funding is released. The progress of grant-supported work is monitored and assured as part of regular meetings between Scottish Government and Improvement Service officials. External evaluations are also commissioned where appropriate.

Scottish Improvement Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19452 by John Swinney on 15 January 2009, what the level of funding to the Improvement Service has been in each financial year since its inception.

John Swinney: The funding provided by the Scottish Government to the Improvement Service is as follows:

  

 
2005-06 (£ Million)
2006-07 (£ Million)
2007-08 (£ Million)
2008-09 (£ Million)


 Core funds
 1.0
 1.8
 1.7
 -


 Project funds
 0.1
 1.7
 3.9
 Up to 1.6


 Total
 1.1
 3.5
 5.6
 Up to 1.6



  Figures for 2005-2008 relate to actual monies paid. Figures for 2008-09 are grant awards.

Scottish Improvement Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19452 by John Swinney on 15 January 2009, whether it will provide the dates of board meetings of the Improvement Service since its inception, also showing who represented the Scottish Government at those meetings.

John Swinney: Scottish ministers were represented at Improvement Service (IS) Board meetings by:

  Tom McCabe, Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform: Director of IS - July 2005 - May 2007.

  Ruth Parsons, Public Service Reform Director: Director of IS - September 2006 - March 2008.

  With the agreement of the board:

  Ruth Parsons represented Mr McCabe at one meeting prior to her joining the board.

  Rab Fleming, Deputy Director, Public Service Delivery Division, represented Ruth Parsons at two meetings in 2007.

  Dates of board meetings and representation is as follows:

  

 Date
 Scottish Government Representative


 21 November 2005 
 Tom McCabe MSP


 27 March 2006 
 Tom McCabe unable to attend, apologies given


 23 May 2006 
 Ruth Parsons for Tom McCabe MSP


 19 June 2006 
 Tom McCabe MSP


 21 November 2006 
 Tom McCabe MSP


 22 January 2007 
 Tom McCabe MSP, Ruth Parsons


 12 March 2007 
 Tom McCabe MSP


 21 May 2007 
 Ruth Parsons


 27 August 2007 
 Rab Fleming for Ruth Parsons


 4 September 2007
 Rab Fleming for Ruth Parsons


 26 November 2007 
 Ruth Parsons


 28 January 2008 
 Ruth Parsons


 17 March 2008
 Ruth Parsons



  As part of the concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA, it was agreed that the Improvement Service would be governed wholly by local government, through COSLA and SOLACE. Scottish ministers resigned from membership of the Improvement Service company in March 2008. Information on board meetings since that date is not held centrally.

Student Finance

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average level of student debt was among graduates from universities and colleges in the Lothians region in each of the last five years, broken down by university and college.

Fiona Hyslop: The Student Loans Company (SLC) cannot distinguish whether a student enters repayment of their loan because they have graduated or because they have left higher education (HE) without graduating. The table below therefore shows the average student loan debt for Scottish domiciled full-time higher education leavers from institutions in the Lothians Scottish parliamentary region. The figures do not include debt added by the graduate endowment fee. On average around two thirds of students who were liable for the graduate endowment fee would add all or part of their fee to these figures.

  

 Education Institution
 Last Academic Year at the Institution


 2002- 03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Year student entered repayment (students enter repayment in April of calendar year after they leave HE)


 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 Average Debt (£)


 Edinburgh College Of Art
 8,510
 7,980
 7,570
 8,870
 8,010


 Edinburgh School Of Dental Hygiene And Therapy
 3,560
 3,040
 3,230
 3,860
 4,420


 Edinburgh University
 7,380
 7,630
 6,980
 6,460
 6,200


 Heriot-Watt University
 7,460
 7,570
 6,500
 6,550
 6,450


 Jewel & Esk Valley
 3,690
 3,600
 3,110
 3,060
 3,570


 Napier University
 6,510
 6,930
 6,400
 6,260
 6,080


 Oatridge Agricultural College
 2,920
 2,890
 3,080
 3,240
 2,600


 Queen Margaret University College
 6,780
 6,500
 6,540
 6,470
 5,960


 Scottish Agricultural College
 4,620
 4,490
 4,700
 4,340
 3,830


 Stevenson College – Edinburgh
 3,730
 3,260
 3,400
 3,440
 3,490


 Telford College - Edinburgh
 3,500
 3,960
 3,810
 3,700
 3,800


 West Lothian College
 2,990
 3,040
 3,150
 3,240
 2,900


 Overall Average 
 5,970
 6,250
 5,790
 5,720
 5,540



  Source: Student Loans Company.

  Notes:

  Loan type – income contingent repayment (ICR) maintenance loan. Mortgage style loans were not available after academic year 1997-98.

  Average debt amounts have been rounded to the nearest £10.

  Graduate endowment (GE) loan debt is not included in the averages in order to provide a consistent time series, as liability to repay the graduate endowment changed for students entering repayment in 2008.

  The debt shown in the table is that incurred whilst studying at the specified institutions. The student may have incurred additional debt whilst studying at another institution either before or afterwards

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will lay before the Parliament a report assessing the impact that abolishing the graduate endowment has had in relation to widening access to higher education.

Fiona Hyslop: A report assessing the impact that abolishing the graduate endowment fee has had in relation to widening access to higher education will be laid before the Parliament as required by 4 April 2009.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19196 by Fiona Hyslop on 15 January 2009, what changes to secondary legislation would be required to implement each of the options outlined in the Supporting a Smarter Scotland consultation paper.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19196 on 15 January 2009, which makes clear that we do not anticipate that any legislative action would be required to implement option 1, 2 or 3 but given the consultation is seeking the widest views possible, some respondents may suggest different changes to the student support system which could have legislative changes.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many higher education students at college receive young student bursaries (YSB), broken down by income, and what the total amount was of YSB received by such students.

Fiona Hyslop: The table shows the number of higher education students studying at colleges who received Young Students Bursaries (YSB) in academic year 2007-08, and the amount received, broken down by parental/spousal income.

  

 Income Band
Number of CollegeStudents
Amount YSB(£000)


< £10k
 2,895
 6,873


£10,000 - £19,999
 2,885
 6,787


£20,000 - £29,999
 2,065
 2,673


£30,000 and above
 520
 162


 Income not declared/required
 830
 1,982


 Exempt from Parental/Spousal Contribution
 155
 344


 Total
 9,345
 18,821



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

  Notes:

  Student numbers have been rounded up or down to the nearest five.

  Monetary amounts have been rounded to the nearest thousand and are quoted in thousands.

  Income bands are based on residual parental or, in the case of students who are married or in a civil partnership, spousal income. This is income after deductions allowed by SAAS have been subtracted.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students in receipt of the (a) Lone Parent’s Grant and (b) Lone Parent’s Childcare Grant also received the Young Students’ Bursary in the last academic year for which information is available.

Fiona Hyslop: In academic year 2007-08 135 recipients of Lone Parent’s Grant received a Young Student’s Bursary (YSB). Eighty recipients of Lone Parent’s Childcare Grant received a YSB.

Student Loans

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19186 by Fiona Hyslop on 14 January 2009, what savings will be made in the Education and Lifelong Learning budget, and to which budget lines, to pay for the additional £12.4 million cost associated with unwinding provisions for student loans.

Fiona Hyslop: The additional £12.4 million cost associated with the unwinding provisions for student loans are being met from other non-cash budget savings associated with the provision of student loans within the overall Student Awards Agency for Scotland’s budgets.

Tourism

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-17276 by Maureen Watt on 12 November 2008, on what date the report of the task group on hospitality and tourism training will be published.

Maureen Watt: The task group was originally due to report by the end of December 2008 but, at the request of industry representatives, the life of the group has been extended to identify sustainable, long term solutions are found for issues that have been around in the sector for a number of years.

  Therefore, further meetings of the task group have been planned and I hope the group will report in late spring/early summer 2009.